All's Fair in Love and Alchemy
by Snowhearte
Summary: Oh, my gosh! Winry's engaged! And it's NOT to Edward! WinryxEd, WinryxMysterycharacter. What will come of this?
1. Surprise Engagement

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. If I did, Edward would be in my bed every night drool

A/N: I'm making this up as I go along XD so don't blame me if the plot is all half-assed. Oh, in this fic, Ed and Winry are 19, Al is 18 and Roy is 23. And they might be a bit OoC…

Early morning sunlight streamed through the open window, casting a bright sheen on the golden locks spread out on the pillow of the bed just below this window. The lump beneath the blankets rolled over, revealing a face that made most girls swoon at his feet. Usually in an expression of cocky arrogance or determination, it was now cast in peaceful sleep. His eye twitched, and he groaned softly.

The door slammed open. A huge suit of armor rushed into the bedroom. "Brother!" it cried. "Brother, wake up!"

The lump under the blankets moved again, groaned again. A sliver of gold appeared from underneath an eyelid, and a sleepy voice said drowsily, "What do you want, Al?" "Guess what?" his little brother said excitedly.

"What?"

"Guess!"

"Al…"

"Ok, fine. It's Winry! I just got off the phone with Mrs. Rockbell and… _Winry's engaged!_"

"WHAT?"

"Ed," Alphonse Elric said, sounding a little scared. "Um… are you ok?" "No, I am not," Edward Elric growled, pulling his red cloak over his shoulders. "Al, we're going to Reisenbool." "Uh…" Al said, scratching his metal head and jogging after Edward as he went swiftly out the door and up towards Roy Mustang's office. "Brother?" "What?" Edward snapped, knocking sharply on Mustang's door. "Um," Al stammered. "I… don't know how to tell you this, but… Winry… she's engaged to…"

"MUSTANG!" Edward roared, bursting into the room despite having no invitation. "Mustang, I need a f—" His voice trailed off.

"E-Edward!" Winry Rockbell gasped, leaping off the couch and pulling up her white tank top. "Um… hi!" She hugged his stiff form briefly. "Ah, Fullmetal," Roy Mustang said, coughing and blushing. "Er, you needed something?"

Edward gaped at them, feeling numb. _Winry… Mustang…_ His mind couldn't seem to make the connection. "Winry…" his mouth said, in the softest whisper. "Mustang…"

He whirled and bolted from the room.

Alphonse found him on the rooftop, crouched in a corner with his head buried in his arms. He went over and sat silently beside his older brother. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"It's not fair, Al," came Edward's muffled voice. "It just… isn't fair!" "Brother," Al said sadly. "How isn't it fair? Mustang had a free shot at her. They've been secretly dating for the past two years. Mustang just asked her to marry him six months ago." "Why didn't you tell me, Al?" Ed wailed into his arms, shoulders shaking with sobs he refused to voice. "Wh-why didn't y-you just tell m-me alr-already?" "I didn't know," Al said helplessly, wringing his metal hands in distress. "I really didn't know until this morning, when Winry told me everything on the phone!"

"Ed?" said a small voice from behind them. "Al?"

Edward's head jerked up, and he scrubbed furiously at the tears smeared on his face. "So," he said, unable to keep a note of bitterness from his voice. "You're marrying my boss."

Winry turned her blue eyes away from him, toward the ground so he couldn't see the rebellious pain in them. "Yeah," she said. "Roy and I are getting married in June." "Three months," Alphonse said. "You have a lot of preparation." "You two are invited, of course," Winry continued. "June fifteenth, we've decided. I'm so excited!" "You should be," Al said warmly. "It isn't every day you get married." Winry grinned.

_I can't stand it anymore._

Edward jerked to his feet. "I'm going to the library," he mumbled. "See how the rebuilding's going." "Want me to come?" Al offered, starting to stand. "No," Edward said, brushing past Winry. "Congratulations," he murmured to her. "You had your chance," she replied in an undertone.

_Oh, yes, I had my chance,_ Edward thought, reluctant tears dripping down his face. _But it wasn't much._


	2. A Little Talk With Al

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. If I did, Edward would be in my bed every night drool

A/N: I'm making this up as I go along XD so don't blame me if the plot is all half-assed. Oh, in this fic, Ed and Winry are 19, Al is 18 and Roy is 23. And they might be a bit OoC…

_I don't believe it._

_Dating Mustang without telling me… getting engaged to him without telling me… was she going to go through the whole damn wedding without me too?_

Edward wandered aimlessly through the construction site of the library, not really seeing what was going on around him. Twice, he had to be redirected from walking right into a hole. Once he hit his head on an overhanging beam, but didn't really notice the pain. It wasn't like it was greater than the pain in his heart or anything.

It was getting colder as dark stormclouds gathered to the north. Edward squinted over at them with an internal groan. _It's going to rain._ A fat raindrop splashed him on the forehead. He scowled at the sky. _Knew it._ "Oy, pipsqueak!" shouted one of the construction workers. "Y'might wanna go inside. Looks like its going to storm pretty heavily!" "Who're you calling a pipsqueak?" Edward shrieked.

"Hey! Fullmetal, sir!"

Edward turned at the hailing voice, surprise in his golden eyes. "Oh, Lieutenant Ross," he said reluctantly at the wide-faced woman running toward him. "What are you doing here, sir?" Ross gasped, gesturing around at the construction sight. "It's dangerous!" Edward sweat dropped. "Yeah, I know," he said, feeling the lump on his head throb. "Your friend Winry is here," Ross continued hopefully, eyeing her charge. "Yeah, I know," Edward said, feeling the crack in his heart throb. "I don't really want to see her."

Lieutenant Ross slumped. "Oh, you found out," she said glumly. "I'm sorry, sir, that I didn't tell you, but Major Mustang specifically asked me not to." Edward's anger sparked, and he let out an involuntary, "Dammit! So you knew too? Who _didn't?_" "You and Alphonse," Ross said. "Major Mustang—" "Quiet," Edward growled. "I'm going to—"

"There you are, brother."

"Oh, Al," Edward said despondently. "Hey." "Could you leave us, Lieutenant?" Alphonse asked Ross. "I need to have a private talk with my brother." "But sir—" Ross began to protest, then quelled at the look Edward gave her. "All right," she grumbled, picking her way back through the construction mess.

"So," Alphonse said. "Winry's pretty mad." "Why?" Edward asked bitterly. "I'm not the one who betrayed her." "You are," Alphonse corrected. "She expected you to be happy for her, and instead you walk away. Like last time." "This has nothing to do with last time." "I beg to differ, brother. I think part of Winry's love for Roy is to get revenge on you."

Edward glared at his little brother. "Al—" he began. "Listen, brother," Alphonse interrupted, on a roll now. "The right thing to do would be to apologize to Winry and Roy, confess your feelings to Winry and try to be happy for them." "No way, Al!" Edward said furiously. "You don't get it; you don't like her like I do!" He whirled away, red cape swirling, and began to walk swiftly away.

Alphonse sighed and stared after his brother. "Well, Win, I tried," he murmured, before turning in the opposite direction.

It was nearing midnight, and Edward hadn't yet come back to the room. Alphonse stared moodily at the ceiling from his bed. _It'll probably be hours before he comes back, after a shock like that,_ he told himself. _Don't worry, Al._ Difficult though it was.

He recalled what had happened this morning. _Weren't we going to go to Reisenbool?_ he wondered, turning over with some difficulty. _Well, of course not, now that Winry's here. Brother, you sure have dug yourself a deep hole._

_Al's probably worried,_ Edward predicted, climbing the stairs slowly, staring down at his feet. _It's nearly midnight. I can't believe she did this to me! This proves all women are evil witches!_

Wrapped in the dark shroud his thoughts cast over him, Edward didn't notice the person coming down the stairs until their foreheads crashed together.

They let loose twin yelps of pain. The other stumbled back, tripped, and landed on their rump a few stairs up. Edward, coming up the stairs, wasn't so lucky. His foot slipped; he had enough time to remember to panic before he was falling back. He yelped again, arms wind milling as he tumbled head over heels down the stairs, landing in a confused, breathless heap of metal, limbs and cape.

"Hey!" he snarled, sitting up. "Watch where you're going, you mindless asswipe—oh." "H-hey, Ed," Winry mumbled, rubbing her forehead. "Um—sorry about that, I wasn't looking where I was going…" "Y-yeah, neither was I…"

Long awkward silence. You know the ones; when you run into the ex you still like, it's a dark night, storming right, left and center, and you're all alone together. Yeah, those long awkward silences.

"So," Edward said. "Getting married. Congratulations." "Yeah, thanks," she said, smiling and blushing lightly. "Well, erm, I gotta go," Edward mumbled, pulling himself to his feet. "Al's gonna be getting worried. See ya, Winry!" He bolted up the stairs, limping slightly, and around the corner to his room before she could answer, leaving her standing there, mouth open—and very slightly puzzled—on the stairs.


	3. The Rooftop Part I

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. If I did, Edward would be in my bed every night drool Lol.

A/N: I'm making this up as I go along XD so don't blame me if the plot is all half-assed. Oh, in this fic, Ed and Winry are 19, Al is 18 and Roy is 23. And they might be a bit OoC…

_Idiot,_ Edward told himself later, sprawled on his bed. Moonlight streamed through the window onto his face, lighting up his golden eyes. Across the small room Alphonse was happily asleep, back to his brother. Edward, meanwhile, was unable to fall asleep. Over and over again Winry's face ran through his mind.

_You had your chance, she's right. Mustang deserves her. Shit, I'm beginning to sound like Al._

Finally, too tired and heartsore to sleep, he threw back the covers and quietly stood up. He made his way over to the couch where he'd thrown his cape and eased it over his shoulders with his flesh arm, just in case the metal one rattled against something. Edward crept toward the door, one eye on Alphonse the whole time, and slipped out.

_I need some fresh air,_ he told himself. _Fresh air to think._ He made his slow, ponderous way to the roof.

Winry stared blankly out the window down into the courtyard, absently sipping water from a glass. Her forehead still ached from the collision an hour ago, and she couldn't sleep. Her long blonde hair was let loose, swinging down to her waist. Moonlight glowed on her simple white nightgown, giving her the appearance of a ghost. Her blue eyes were troubled, matching the expression on her pretty face.

"Winry?" came Roy's sleepy voice from the doorway. "What are you doing? Come back to bed." "I can't sleep," she sighed, gulping the last of the water. "Y'know? I think I'll go for a little walk." "All right, but don't be long," Roy said, kissing her. "Don't wait up," she replied, taking her robe from a chair and sliding it over her shoulders.

The hallway was chilly. The auto-mail specialist shivered, pulling her robe closer around her. Her bare feet sank into the carpets, silencing her footsteps.

_Air. I need fresh air to think._

She climbed the stairs up to the roof of the building, opening the door into the cool night. The air smelled like rain and spring. She breathed it deeply, smiling for the first time in days. Full moonlight shone down on her, further creating the ghostly effect.

Edward gazed despondently down into the courtyard, thudding the toe of his boot on the ground. _They're all asleep. I'm the only one awake,_ he thought, savouring the delicious feeling of being the only person in the world. _Even Winry, probably._

_Everyone's asleep,_ Winry thought, on the other side of the building, hidden by the door. She stared across the city, savouring the delicious feeling of being the only person in the world. _It almost makes me wish Ed was here. He'd enjoy this too, just being alone together with me up here, the two of us the only people in the world…_ She ducked her head to hide her blushing cheeks. _What am I thinking?_

_Winry'd love this, I bet,_ Edward thought, sighing. _Just the two of us. Alone, like we used to do in Resembool. And then we'd kiss…_ He flushed hotly. _What am I thinking? She's going to marry my boss. Stop, Ed. No second chances._

She leaned back against the balcony railing, staring up at the star-spangled sky. _He was great, but… Roy is the best thing that's ever happened to me,_ she told herself firmly. _I couldn't do without Ed—Roy. Roy completes my soul. I love him._

_There are other fish in the sea,_ he told himself firmly. _Get over her. If you're going to be a fisherman, you've got to have the right bait, and you don't with those memories hanging over you._

"Well, well, well. Hey there, handsome. You _do_ look glum."

The slithery, seductive voice was all too familiar. Edward whirled. "What are you doing here?" he snarled. With a _shnk _a short blade slid from his auto-mail arm. "Hey—"

"I have a proposition for you."

He shut up, warily. "Go on…"


	4. The Rooftop Part II

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. If I did, Edward would be in my bed every night drool Lol.

A/N: I'm making this up as I go along XD so don't blame me if the plot is all half-assed. Oh, in this fic, Ed and Winry are 19, Al is 18 and Roy is 23. And they might be a bit OoC… Oh, BTW. On Sunday, I won't update for about a week, I'm going to Churchill with my Junior Rangers patrol. Just warning you!

**Recap**

The slithery, seductive voice was all too familiar. Edward whirled. "What are you doing here?" he snarled. With a _shnk _a short blade slid from his auto-mail arm. "Hey—"

"I have a proposition for you."

He shut up, warily. "Go on…"

Lust smirked, crossing her legs and leaning back on her hands. "Aren't you interested in the terms?" she purred, watching him with malicious dark eyes. "After all, the Fullmetal Alchemist can't expect to be given something without giving something in return." "Let me guess, the Philosopher's Stone?" Edward growled. "No," Lust said, surprisingly. "No, we're interested in… something else this time."

She slid gracefully down off the part of the railing she had been leaning upon, coming close up to him. He drew back a bit, revulsion coursing through him as the seductive Homunculus put a finger under his chin and raised his face so he was staring directly into her eyes.

"I can see the pain in your eyes," she breathed. Edward stiffened. "You've been deeply hurt by something. Let me guess… that Rockbell girl has fallen in love with Mustang?" "What's it to you?" Edward snapped, backing away. He brandished the blade at her threateningly. "Oh, put that away," Lust sighed. "I'm here to talk, not kill you. Yet." "That's your idea of funny?" he asked, letting the blade slide back into his arm. "Quite," she replied. "But, I digress. In Mustang's office there is a box. A plain black box, hidden in a locked drawer in the closet. I want that box. Just the box. Then we'll kill Mustang and you can have the girl." "Kill him?" Edward gasped. "You don't approve?" Lust asked, surprised. "We can make it seem like an accident. Just get me that box. And think about you want us to do to Mustang. You have three days, Fullmetal." With that, the sexy Homunculus turned away and walked off, swinging herself over the railing and down. "Hey, wait! Lust!" Edward cried, rushing after her. He leaned so far over the railing he almost fell over, eyes roving the darkness for her. But she was gone.

Winry turned at the familiar voice crying out. _Wha—Edward? What's he doing up so late?_ She began moving toward the other end of the building, then stopped in confusion. _Don't expect him to talk to you,_ she told herself, picking up her pace again. _You and Roy are in love._

"Edward?" she asked the blond boy, with some confusion. _What is he doing?_ "Ed, you'll fall," she added, grabbing the collar of his cape and pulling him upright. He whirled to face her. "W-Winry," he said. "What are you doing here?" "Couldn't sleep," she replied. "What were you doing?" "Couldn't sleep either," he replied, misinterpreting the question.

_Omigod. What's she doing up here? Did she hear my conversation with Lust? If she did, she'd tell Mustang!_ "Um," he said, searching his mind for conversation topics, to steer her away from what, exactly, he'd been doing. "It's a nice night, isn't it?" Stupid, but he could work with it. "Yeah," she replied, looking up at the stars. "I was just looking for constellations when I heard you shout." "Er, there's the Little Dipper," Edward said quickly, pointing. "Reminds me of back in Resembool, last time you guys visited," Winry said, almost dreamily, leaning back on the pole beside him. "I remember it was, like, two years ago, too," she added. "Yeah, I still remember it," he said, grinning. "That last night when we went out to watch the stars. Al fell asleep and didn't come." "We built a huge bonfire," Winry reminisced. "I almost fell in it," Edward snickered. She grinned wryly.

Suddenly she stopped, and pulled her robe tighter around her slender shoulders. "I should get back; Roy will be wondering," she murmured, moving away from the railing. "Oh…" Edward said, trying not to sound disappointed. "A'right. Goodnight, Winry." "G-goodnight, Ed." Winry trotted off into the darkness, not looking back, leaving the blond alchemist staring after her like a wounded bird. His mouth opened, and softly he whispered, "Winry…" He turned back to the railing and stared down into the courtyard.


	5. The Beginning of Plans

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. If I did, Edward would be in my bed every night drool Lol.

A/N: I'm making this up as I go along XD so don't blame me if the plot is all half-assed. Oh, in this fic, Ed and Winry are 19, Al is 18 and Roy is 23. And they might be a bit OoC…

The pathway smelled like roses, Edward observed, sitting on a bench under a tree. Well, of course the path smelled like roses. There were rosebushes lining it on either side. What, did you think it would smell of pansies?

Alphonse was sitting beside him, sun shining on his metal body, looking up at his elder brother curiously. "What did you want to tell me, brother?" he asked, gloved hands clasped in his lap. Edward rubbed his eyes, yawning. After the roof incident, he had stayed up there for hours more, leaning over the railing and wondering. Wondering about Lust and the other Homunculi, where they were, what they wanted with this box, why they were willing to help him in return. Wondering about Winry, why she loved _Mustang_, of all people, why she was here now, what she was doing here right now. Mustang wasn't on leave, though Edward and Alphonse were. Wondering about the box, why the Homunculi wanted it, where it was, when he could get it. Wondering about his life. Who, what, where, when, why. All questions that couldn't be answered.

"You look terrible, by the way," Alphonse added, looking at the deep bags under Edward's eyes. "Didn't get much sleep last night," Edward replied shortly. "Anyway, what I needed to talk about." He had briefly wondered during breakfast this morning whether or not to actually tell Alphonse about this, and decided to leave out the encounter with Winry.

"Last night, I couldn't sleep, so I went up on the roof," he said, speaking quickly and quietly, leaning closer. "I met with Lust. Sssh!" he hissed, as Alphonse let out a sharp cry. "They won't make you try to make the Philosopher's Stone again, will they?" the soul-in-armor asked loudly. A few people stared. "Al, shut up!" Edward snapped in a whisper. "No, they won't! All they want is a little black box of Roy's. I'm going to get it for them." "But brother," Alphonse whispered back. "Why?" "Because they're doing something for me in return!" "What?" "I'm not saying yet, I haven't decided," Edward lied. "But it would be useful to be able to pull a favour from the Homunculi whenever I'd like, wouldn't it?" "True," Alphonse conceded. "Where is the box?" "In a locked drawer in a closet in Mustang's office," Edward said, trying not to feel guilty about lying to Alphonse. He promised himself he would be entirely truthful about everything else in the explanation now. "We have three days to get it for them." "But where will we meet them, brother?"

Edward stopped. "I… never thought to ask," he admitted, scratching his head. "Uh… maybe on the rooftop again? How would we get a message to them?" "Maybe they'll get a message to us," Alphonse suggested, leaning past Edward to look around him. "Hush! Here comes Major Armstrong!"

"Hello, boys," boomed the deep voice of the Major. Edward sighed, turning to face the huge man. "Hello, Armstrong," he said reluctantly. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" Armstrong rumbled, gesturing around at the sun, the blue sky and the birds. "Y-yeah, it's lovely," Edward said, trying to look as though he were interested. "Gorgeous," Alphonse added. "Glad it's spring." "Yes, most grateful," Armstrong boomed. He suddenly leaned in very close to Edward. "Three days, Fullmetal Pipsqueak," whispered Envy's voice, chuckling. Armstrong's blue eyes glittered with Envy's coldness. "Meet Lust here with the box." "Envy?" Edward gasped. "Envy?" Armstrong/Envy thundered. "Yep, tomorrow should be envious of today. Heard it was gonna rain." He straightened up, scratching the little curl of blond hair on his otherwise-bare head. "Well, I'll see you boys later. Have a nice day!" He waved, trotting off and around the corner.

Edward's yellow eyes were wide. "That was Envy," he hissed in Alphonse's general direction. "Didn't it say we had to meet Lust back here?" Alphonse whispered back. "Yeah, in three days," Edward replied quietly. "What if we don't have the box by then?" "We'll just have to fake it," Alphonse said. "But then—" Edward began.

"What are you guys being so secretive about, hm?"

Both froze, then slowly turned around. "Gyaah, Winry!" Edward yelped. "Don't scare me like that; what are you trying to do? Kill me?" "At least it would shut you up," she teased, flicking a strand of blond hair behind her. Roy had his arm slung casually around her shoulder, and she was holding the hand draping down from it. Immediately upon seeing this, Edward flinched and looked away. "Aren't you supposed to be working?" he asked his boss challengingly. "The Fuhrer was kind enough to give me a week's leave," Roy said, yawning. "You look terrible." "Not much sleep last night," Edward growled, glaring. "So that gives you an excuse to be impertinent," Roy said, tapping his fist on the young alchemist's head. "Shorty."

Edward's eyes bugged. "WHO'REYOUCALLINGATINYLITTLEITTYBITTYSPECKOFDUSTTHATCAN'TBESEENWITHOUTATELESCOPEANDEVENTHENISVERYVERYTINY (1)?" he yelled, jumping around waving his arms. Alphonse scratched his head. "Nobody said that!" he said wearily, pulling his brother back down. Winry giggled. "That was mean," she scolded Roy in a mock-angry voice, poking his nose. "Edward's not short, he's vertically challenged." Roy kissed her hard, moving his mouth around on hers. She replied eagerly.

Something tore in the Fullmetal Pipsqueak—ah, I mean, Alchemist. Edward flinched again, putting a hand over his chest. "Are you all right, brother?" Alphonse asked worriedly. "Heartburn," Edward muttered. "C'mon, Al, we've gotta go do… you-know-what." He got up and started walking in the direction Armstrong had, body rigid and resolutely not looking back. "Sorry, he's… not very well today," Alphonse apologized swiftly and softly to Winry and Roy, who were now staring oddly. "Short on sleep, y'know." "WHO'REYOUCALLINGSHORT?" Edward shrieked from where he was about a hundred feet away. "How did he hear that?" Roy asked, while Winry giggled. "I don't know," Alphonse said, waving and trotting off toward his brother.

"All right," Edward said. "I've got it all worked out." He punched his flesh fist into his metal hand. "Where is Roy Mustang right now?" Alphonse looked back to where they had just been. "Uh…" he scratched his head. "Exactly!" Edward said. "Where is Roy Mustang's office?" Alphonse looked back up at the military base. "Uh…" he scratched his head again. "EXACTLY!" Edward yelled again. "THEY'RE IN DIFFERENT PLACES!" People stared. "What is he doing?" Winry sighed. "Who knows?" Roy replied.

Edward had begun running. "C'mon, Al!" he called. "This is our chance!" The suit of armor jogged after him. "Why do I get the feeling this is going to go wrong?" he muttered to himself.

1) Ed said: "WHO'RE YOU CALLING A TINY LITTLE ITTY BITTY SPECK OF DUST THAT CAN'T BE SEEN WITHOUT A TELESCOPE AND EVEN THEN IS VERY, VERY TINY?" Just for those of you who couldn't read it .


	6. Plans, Part 1

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. But I do own an Ed and Al wall scroll and a pair of pants that look like Ed's… lol.

A/N: I'm making this up as I go along XD so don't blame me if the plot is all half-assed. Oh, in this fic, Ed and Winry are 19, Al is 18 and Roy is 23. And they might be a bit OoC…

Apologies for the late update. I was in Edmonton for the past month and already had this half-finished on my computer at home and couldn't get inspiration at Edmonton.

"Ok, this is what we do," Edward explained once they were in their room. "Mustang is outside with Winry, right?" "Uh, yeah," Alphonse said. "So that means he isn't in his office," Edward continued. "Where the box is." "So we snatch it now?" "No, Al, we snatch it when he's in the office and can see us clearly," Edward said sarcastically. "Of course we snatch it now!"

He got up from the couch and began pacing restlessly around the room. Alphonse scratched his head. "Are you all right, big brother?" he asked in his slightly-echoing voice. "No, I'm not, Al," Edward replied, standing at the window and peering despondently out the window. "My chest hurts, right here." He placed a hand over his heart. "It _really_ hurts. As much as when Mom died. I'm losing her, Al. I'm losing Winry. If I don't… if I can't… I'm gonna lose her forever."

He was crying, tears running gently and unnoticed down his cheeks. Alphonse felt bewildered, standing and going over to Edward. He patted his brother's shoulder, feeling confused. If Edward was so lost—crying, even, something Alphonse hadn't seen him do for five years—then what was Al himself supposed to do?

"Get some sleep, Ed," he said, pushing the older boy firmly toward his bed. "You're exhausted. Go on." Proving Edward's fatigue was the fact that he didn't even argue, only stumbled to his bed and fell into it. He was asleep before Alphonse crept silently out the door.

A big suit of metal armor isn't exactly easy to sneak around in, Alphonse soon learned, as his attempt to slip unseen up to Roy Mustang's office failed miserably when Riza Hawkeye stepped from her own office.

"Alphonse?" she asked, startled. "What are you doing up here?" Alphonse froze with his hand on Mustang's doorknob, then turned to face her, putting his other hand behind his head and laughing nervously. "Er," he said, thinking fast. "I… need to see… Colonel Mustang about something… For the wedding, you see." Her eyes darkened, but her face remained in a pleasant smile. "Oh, I see," she said. "Carry on." She turned back into her office, slamming the door hard.

That wasn't like Hawkeye, Alphonse decided, now even more confused. She was more… brutal. He blinked, thinking of the way her eyes had changed when he'd mentioned Winry and Mustang's wedding. There had been sorrow there, pain and anger. A lot like Ed's eyes when Alphonse mentioned the wedding—or Winry or Roy, to be exact—to him.

_She loves the colonel._  
That was the only possible explanation. Alphonse shook his head and turned away, heading back to his own room. This was all too complicated; his attempt had failed and that was as far as he was going to think into it.

Now all he could do was leave it up to Edward and the Homunculi.

Edward woke very suddenly, on the floor. He was confused as to his coming to be on the floor, but from the blankets twisted around his legs he supposed he had fallen out of bed. He wriggled loose—easier said than done—and stood up.

Alphonse wasn't in the room, was the first thing he noticed. _The hell… now he's vanished. Lust better not be trying anything with him…_ Sighing, the alchemist grabbed his cloak—he could tell the night was going to be cold—then slipped out the door and turned left toward the roof.

He swung the cloak over his shoulders before he opened the door to the roof, buckling it at his throat and clutching it around him. The night was freezing for late March, and he spent the next few minutes shivering at the railing before the warmth of the red fabric leaked into his bones. Satisfied, he began to plan.

_I guess I'll try the easiest approach,_ Edward thought. _Sneak into his office when he isn't there, grab the box, leave. I only have two days left. I have to hurry._

_But what if you fail?_ a tiny, insidious voice whispered. _What if he catches you and has you thrown in the military jail? What will you do then?_ "I'll think about that when it comes," he told the voice firmly. "Shut up, I'm trying to think." The voice was quiet for a few minutes, while Edward pondered several escape routes, then piped up again, _But what if she doesn't fall in love with you again? She hates your guts, you know. She'd like nothing more than to see you fail and throw yourself from this rooftop. In fact, why don't you make yourself a promise? If she doesn't fall in love with you after you get rid of Mustang, you throw yourself from here. Got it? Good._ "Hey, wait! I'm not gonna do that unless it's absolutely necessary." _Yeah, yeah. Have fun with your devious plans, buddy._ The voice was suddenly silent, and though Edward waited several minutes, it didn't come back. Which was probably a good thing. Edward was already completely certain he'd snapped.

He leaned heavily on the railing; he was half-expecting, half-hoping Winry would come around the corner suddenly and join him. He kept looking behind him, searching for her familiar sparkling blue eyes, her long blond ponytail or her slender legs under her skirt. All he saw were the lumpy buildings of Central HQ and darkness. Nothing much else. Well, there was a bat right there, fluttering in the midst of a tree, searching for insects, and Edward amused himself for a few minutes watching it until he grew bored, therefore proceeding to stare into space. Which wasn't much better.

"Oh, why the long face, Fullmetal?"

Edward gritted his teeth at the familiar voice, firmly refusing to be startled at the sudden voice. Instead he turned calmly around and replied, "What do you want, Lust?"

The Homunculus crossed her arms and smirked at him, the ever-present sadness in her violet eyes seeming to give way for a split second to amusement. "What do you think?" she asked softly. "I want that box. Where's my box, Fullmetal?" "I don't have it yet," he answered, scowling at her tone. "I still have two days left." "I know," she replied, sashaying closer and leaning close to him. "But if you don't get it soon, Edward, you know what I'll have to do." One of her fingernails flicked out to about a foot long, and she examined its razor point with delicate care. "Yeah, yeah, I get it," he snapped. "Go away and let me think." Lust sneered again, turning and waltzing off. "Fine; reject my help," she said, looking back. "Just think on this: I know dear Colonel Mustang far more than you do. I have lived longer, after all." With one last smirk, she went around a corner and vanished.


End file.
